Leggett & Platt, Inc.: Dividend Stock Analysis

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Leggett & Platt, Inc. (NYSE:LEG). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: Leggett & Platt Inc. makes a broad line of bedding and furniture components and other home, office and commercial furnishings, as well as diversified products for non-furnishings markets.

Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:

LEG earned three Stars in this section for 1.), 2.) and 3.) above. A Star was earned since the Free Cash Flow payout ratio was less than 60% and there were no negative Free Cash Flows over the last 10 years. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%.

LEG earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1939 and has increased its dividend payments for 39 consecutive years.

Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:

1. NPV MMA Diff. 2. Years to > MMA

LEG earned a Star in this section for its NPV MMA Diff. of the $548. This amount is in excess of the $500 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as LEG has. The stock's current yield of 4.98% exceeds the 4.1% estimated 20-year average MMA rate.

Memberships and Peers: LEG is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat and a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers™ Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Hooker Furniture Corp. (NASDAQ:HOFT) with a 4.4% yield, Flexsteel Industries Inc. (NASDAQ:FLXS) with a 1.9% yield and Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. (NYSE:ETH) with a 1.5% yield.

Conclusion: LEG did not earn any Stars in the Fair Value section, earned three Stars in the Dividend Analytical Data section and earned one Star in the Dividend Income vs. MMA section for a total of four Stars. This quantitatively ranks LEG as a 4 Star-Strong stock.

Using my D4L-PreScreen.xls model, I determined the share price would need to increase to $22.21 before LEG's NPV MMA Differential decreased to the $500 minimum that I look for in a stock with 39 years of consecutive dividend increases. At that price the stock would yield 4.86%.

Resetting the D4L-PreScreen.xls model and solving for the dividend growth rate needed to generate the target $500 NPV MMA Differential, the calculated rate is 1.6%. This dividend growth rate is slightly below the 1.9% used in this analysis, thus providing a minimal margin of safety. LEG has a risk rating of 1.50 which classifies it as a Low risk stock.

In spite of being a highly cyclical company, LEG has a long history of profitability and generating strong free cash flow. In addition, its low debt to total capital of 36% provides additional flexibility. With its high yield the stock is appealing. The stock is trading 29% above my calculated fair value of $17.59. With the recent market weakness, I will look for a more favorable time to add to my position.

Disclaimer: Material presented here is for informational purposes only. The above quantitative stock analysis, including the Star rating, is mechanically calculated and is based on historical information. The analysis assumes the stock will perform in the future as it has in the past. This is generally never true. Before buying or selling any stock you should do your own research and reach your own conclusion. See my Disclaimer for more information.

Full Disclosure: At the time of this writing, I was long in LEG (1.5% of my Dividend Growth Portfolio). See a list of all my dividend growth holdings here.

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